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'The Bachelorette' Season 19: Fans enjoy Rachel and Gabby's 'Clayton shade' as duo begin love quest

Clayton Echard, 29, however, believes he was given the villain edit on 'The Bachelor' as he gets dragged by new bachelorettes Gabby and Rachel

On the brand-new season of 'The Bachelorette,' which premiered on Monday, July 11 on ABC, Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia set off on their quest to find the love of their lives. However, while the girls discussed their experiences with one another and how they are not looking forward to meeting another "Clayton," fans of the show enjoyed the subtle jabs made at ex-bachelor Clayton Echard throughout the first episode.

The entire season of 'The Bachelor' starring Clayton Echard was a disaster. After Susie Evans' stunning departure, Clayton persuaded Gabby and Rachel to stay, but then dumped them both at once, so he could pursue Susie. As a result, they ended up bearing the brunt of Clayton's poor choices. The experience gave rise to kinship and the Season 19 leads begin the new season by denouncing Clayton and expressing their shared desire to find a partner they can both be happy with.

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While drinking their glasses of champagne, the two girls debated how the new season will play out now that it includes two bachelorettes. The two girls talked about the types of men they prefer and what they want. Gabby expressed her desire for a man who "can make a decision," a dig at Clayton and his inability to decide until the very last moment. "What we went through with Clayton, it was torture," recalls Gabby. Clayton, she says, didn't know what he wanted and was bouncing off of the three girls. Gabby now knows exactly what she wants after learning so much from her time on 'The Bachelor.' She claims that the ordeal has made her a much stronger person. Gabby finally admitted that she no longer trusts men as a result of what transpired between her and Clayton. She says, "Men have rightfully earned not being able to be trusted."

Gabby and Rachel each welcomed the men as they exited their limos. However, throughout their introduction to the girls, the majority of them kept bringing up Clayton. By mentioning him, Hayden Markowitz lost points with the girls. "I've got to get something off my chest. I've got something in common with Clayton," Jason Alabaster warned after hugging each Bachelorette. "I'm in love with three women: My mom, my sister, and my dog, Kira." The girls who were taken aback at first understood what he was attempting to pull there.

Ryan entered sporting a clown wig and a large red nose, just as Hayden made a joke about Clayton making judgments with the head in his trousers rather than the one on his neck. "I know what it looks like, [but] I am not Clayton," he laughed as he ripped off the wig. The Bachelorettes politely laughed, but they do not enjoy it. Clayton references weren't done yet. Johnny, a realtor, rapped about how the previous bachelor is a "piece of s—-," while Alec, a wedding photographer, pulled in a children's choir to sing a song about how much of a loser the guy was."I think Gabby and I are okay with not hearing Clayton's name again tonight," Rachel replied tiredly.

Even though the girls were sick of hearing Clayton's name over and over, fans weren't done yet. They loved it when Clayton was dragged by the bachelorettes or the new contestants. They turned to social media to share their amusement. A fan cheekily wrote how they'd get alcohol poisoning if they were to drink every time they hear Clayton's name. Their tweet read: "If I took a shot for every time I heard the name Clayton tonight I’d be alcohol-poisoned #TheBachelorette."

Clayton, 29, however, believes he was given the villain edit on 'The Bachelor'. “Watching [my season] back, I was embarrassed and disgusted by my actions and the way I was portrayed or seen on TV,” he told The Virginian-Pilot on July 10. He continued, “Ultimately, I had to live with the fact that my narrative is what was shown. And that was hard because that’s not really who I am. I don’t feel that what I was on the show is who I truthfully am but I did those things, I became that person.” He called the season “a train wreck” and added that he was “shocked” that “drama was prioritized over the love story.”

Fans are even happy that the girls are mocking Clayton on their own show now after what happened to them on his season: "Okay. gabby & rachel are allowed to mock Clayton. That was on point. #TheBachelorette." Some fans also laud the producers for the Clayton-hating song to happen on television. They tweeted: "Not the producers getting children to sing a song slandering Clayton. I love to see it #TheBachelorette." Another fan wrote: "Clayton watching a whole child quartet sing about how much he sucks #TheBachelorette #Bachelorette." However, some fans also felt that the Clayton gag went on for too long. They wrote: "STOP. MENTIONING. CLAYTON. #TheBachelorette."

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Another fan questioned how much is too much with the Clayton slandering: "How much Clayton shade gonna be brought back this season? What’s the over/under? #TheBachelorette."

'The Bachelorette' Season 19 airs every Monday on 8/7c, on ABC .

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